Internal combustion engine



Jan. 27, 1942. l F. R. MAXWELL 2,270,349

INTERNAL coMBUsTIoN ENGINE Filed Feb. 17, 1941` Patented Jan. 27, 1942 UNITEDl STATES PATENT OFFICE i 'o Y 2,210,849 d l Sun Shlpblilding l Dr! Chester. Pa.. a corporation of Pennsylvania Application February 11. im. sei-ni No. masi 1o om (ci. 12s-5r) fl'lfhis'ivention relates to an improvement in internal combustion engines.

lMore particularly, this invention relates to an Y improvement in internal combustion engines of the o o-called opposed piston type and while applicable to' internal combustion engines generally, itwill 11nd `particular merit inadaptation to Diesel enginesof the opposed piston type.

The Vimprovement according to this invention will befound to be of merit in enabling reduction in of opposed piston engines and in simplication ofv construction without sacrifice oi' eillciency and economy in operation.

' Heretofore, as is well known, opposed piston engines comprising a pair of pistons, operating oppositely 1n a single cylinder, have been provided `with crank shafts having three throws or cranks, one adapted for connection with one of the pistons and the other two, arranged oppositely or at 180 to the nrst, being adapted for connection with the other piston through the medium of side rods and a cross head.

Now in accordance with this invention, generally speaking. it is the purpose to s'o arrange the connections between the opposed pistons and crank shaft as to effect connection of both pistons to a single throw or crank on the crank i shaft, thus eliminating complication in the constructionl of the crank shaft and in general simplifying the construction of the engine.

More particularly, in accordance with this invention a crankshaft provided with a single crank or throw per cylinder of the engine is connected with -.the opposed pistons 'in the cylinders.l respectively, through the medium of a piston rod.a`main connecting rod and through the medium ,of a crossV head and side rods, the latter beinglconn'ected to levers or rockers which in -turn are connected to the main connecting rod.

engine'yembodying this invention.

Finire-3 sil; sectional view of the lower portion ofthe engine shown in Figure 1.

"3ai'df4` are sectional views showing rdetails'of construction.

In the several views variously, i indicates the frame of the engine. from which is suitably supported the crank shaft 2, having a crank 2', and

a jacket 4 for cooling fluid, with exhaust ports 5 and with scavenging air ports I, the exhaust and scavenging air ports being located in the cylinder with respect to the travel therein of the opposed upper and lower pistons 1, 1. `A fuel iniection nozzle 2l is also provided in the cylin der I.

The exhaust ports I communicate with a recelver I, which leads to an exhaust manifold 9, while the scavenging air ports i communicate with a receiver I0, which leads from a manifold Il connected with a source of scavenging air under pressure.

The lower piston I is connected to the crank 2 through the medium of a piston rod l2, turnably connected to a pin It, carrying at its ends guide shoes Il, Il, which engage vertical guides I5, i5 supported by the frame, and a connecting rod I6 connected at one end to the crank 2' and having its other end bifurcated and connected to the pin Il. l

The upper piston 'l is connected to a cross head I1, through the medium of sa rod It. The ends of the cross head l1 are odset, as shown in Figure 3, and are bifurcated for-connection to the upper ends of side rods I9, I9, the lower ends of which are connected tothe shorter arms of the levers or rockers 2l, 20 pivotally supported from the frame on pivots 2|, 2i, which engage the rockers off center.

The longer arms of the rockers 20, 20 are connected in turn to links 22, 22 connected to the pin Il on opposite sides of the connecting rod' I6.

It will be observed that the oiiset ends of the cross head VIl permit the side rods to be connected to the rockers 2l in an offset relation on opposite sides ofthe connecting rod I6, and that by the provision of the rockers both of the pistons 1, 1 are connected to a single crank 'on' the crank shaft as compared with the requirement heretofore for three cranks. As wilibe obvious, the cross headl i1 may be straight and connected to the side rods by means of offset rockers or straight'bifurcated rockers.

The pivoting of the rockers ci! center andthe connectionof the side rods to th 'shorter arms provides for a shorter stroke of theupper piston 1, as compared with the lower pist'fo'n 'l' to compensate for or balance the weight of the side rods and cross head.

The operation of the engine 'embodying this invention will, it is believed, be readily grasped. it being understood that generally it operates on `the two cycle principle, the pistons moving tothe cylinder L 'I'he cylinder I is provided with 55 gether onv the 'compression stroke and apart on the power stroke. the scavenging air ports `and exhaust ports being controlled -by'the upper and 4through the nozzle 23.

y 'In operationv with the main crank'2' in lower dead center position, the pistons 1, 'I'V will be apart the maximum distance, as shown in Figure 1. In the rotation of the crank 180 to upper dead center position, the side rods I9 will move down, connecting rod I6 will move up, the

rockers-20 wiliturn .on their pivots 2| and the pistons 1, 1 will move in opposite directionstoward eachother, the piston 'l moving down and the piston 1 moving up. u

When the engine is in operation the power will be transmitted from the upper piston tothe single crank 2' through the side rods I9, i9 to pin I3 and connecting .rod I6, while the power from the lower piston will be transmitted to the single crank 2' through the piston rod I2 and. connecting rod IE. l' d It will be understood that it is not intended that this invention shall be limited to the particular type andconstruction of engine described above in detail, with reference to the drawing, for illustrative purposes, since it is contemplated that various adaptation or modiilcation in detail may be made without departing from the lscope oi the invention as deiined in the appended claims.

What I claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

' 1. v In an internal combustion engine, in. combination, a-cylinder, a pair of opposed pistonsv in the cylinder, a vcrank shaft provided with a crank, a connecting rod affording lan operative connection Vbetween one otfsaid pistonsand said crank, a cross head connected to the other of said pistons, side rods connected to said cross head and means forming an operative connes-f tion between said side rods and said connecting yrod whereby the direction of movement of the side rods is reversed relative to that of the ccnnecting rod.

2. In an internal combustion engine, in combination, a cylinder, a pair of opposed pistons in the cylinder, a crank shaft provided with a crank, a connecting 'rod ailording an operative connection between one o! said pistons and said crank, a-frame for ,the support of said cylinder and crank shaft, a cross head connected to the other of said pistons, side rods connected to said cross head, a pair of levers fulcrumed on said frame, said levers respectively being connected :at one end to said side rods respectively and said levers being connected at their other ends to said connecting rod. v

3. In an internal coy bustion engine, in combination, a cylinder, a pair oi opposed pistons inthe cylinder, a crank shaft provided with a crank, a connecting rod affording an operative y, connection between one of said pistons and said crank, a frame for the support of said cylinder and crankshaft, a cross head having its ends offset connected to the other of said pistons, side rods connected to saidcross head, a pair of levers fulcrumed on said frame, said levers respectively being connected at one end to said side rods respectively .and said levers being connected at'theirother ends to said connecting rod on opposite sides thereof. 4:"In an internal combustion engine, in combination, a cylinder, a pair of opposed pistons in the cylinder, a crank shaft provided with a crank, a connecting rod affording an operative connection between one of said pistons and said crank, a frame for the support oi said cylinder and crank shaft, a cross headconnected to the other of said pistonsside rods connected to said cross head, a pair-'of levers fulcrumed on said frame each having a vrelatively short and a relatively long arm, the short arms oi said levers respectively being connected to said side rods respectively and the 4long arms of said levers respectively being connected to said connecting rod. f 6. In an internal combustion engine, in combination,- a cylinder, a pair of opposed pistons in the cylinder, a crank shaft provided with a crank, a frame for the support of said cylinder l5 and crank shaft, a' piston rod connected to one of said pistons, a 'connecting rod connected to said crank, a pin affording a connection between lsaid piston and 'said connecting rod, a cross head 'having offset ends connected to the Iother o! said pistons, vside rods connected to said cross head', a pair of levers each having -arelatively Ilong anda relatively short arm; fulcrumed on saidjfirame on opposite sides of said connecting rod, 'the short arms of said levers respectively being connected to said side rods respectively and links connecting the long arms of said levers respectively to said pin on opposite sides of said connecting rod' 6. In an internal combustion engine, in comv bination, a cylinder, a pair of opposed pistons in the cylinder, a crank shaft provided with a crank,

la frame for the support of said cylinder and crank shaft, a piston rod connected to one of said pistons," a connecting rod connected to said crank, a pinfailording a connection between said piston and said connecting rod, a cross head connected to the vother of said pistons, side rods Vconnected to said cross head, a pair of levers eachihaving a relatively long and a relatively short arm fulcrumed on said frame on opposite sides of said connecting rod, the short arms of said levers respectively being connected to said side rods respectively and links connecting the long arms of said levers respectively to said pin on opposite-sides of said connecting rod.

'7. In an internal combustion engine, in combination, a cylinder, a pair of opposed pistons in the cylinder, a crank shaft provided with a crank, a connecting rod affording an operative connection between one of said pistons and said crank, ak frame for the support of said. cylinder and crank shaft, a cross head connected to the other of said pistons, side rods connected to said cross head, a paire! offset levers fulcrurned on said frame, said levers respectively being connected at one end to said. side .rods respectively and Asaid levers being connected at their other ends to said connecting rod on opposite sides there- 8. In an internal combustion engine, in ccmbination, a cylinder,-a pair of opposed pistons in the cylinder, a crank shaft provided with a crank, a connecting rod aiiording an operative connection between one of said pistons and said crank, a frame for the support of ksaid cylinder and crank shaft, a cross head connected to the other of said pistons, side rods connected to said cross head, a pair of bifurcated'levers fulcrumed on said frame, said levers respectively being connected at one end to said side rods respectively and said levers being connected at their other ends to saidconnecting rod on opposite sides thereof. l,

9. In an internal combustion engine, in comy 2,270,849 bination, a cylinder, a ,pair ofopposed pistons in the cylinder, a crank shaft provided with a crank, a connecting rodl affording an operative connection between one of said pistons and said crank, a frame for the support of saidv cylinder and crank shaft, a cross head connected to the uother of said pistons, side rods connected to said cross head, a pair of levers fulcrumed on said frame, said levers respectively being connected at 10. In an internal combustion engine, in combination, a cylinder, a pair of opposed pistons in the cylinder, a crank shaft provided with a crank, a connecting rod, means forming an operative connection between the connecting rod and said crank, a piston pin affording an operative connection between one of said pistons and said connecting rod, a cross head connected to th'e other of said pistons, side rods connected to said cross head, and a pair of levers, said levers respectively 4being connected at one end to said side rods respectively and said levers being connected at their other ends to said piston pin. l

FRANK R. MAXWELL. 

